A representative from KPMG will provide an update on the 2023/24 audit and planned Value for Money assurance work.

The Committee received a covering report on behalf of the Council’s External Auditor, KPMG, which had attached the draft 2023/24 Value for Money Risk Assessment.  Jonathan Brown and Edward Mills from KPMG were present at the meeting and provided an update on the 2023/24 audit and planned Value for Money assurance work.  KPMG’s report set out the details of the significant risk that had been identified relating to children’s services, which questioned the Council’s ability to have adequate arrangements in place to offer consistently good services.  In order to examine the risk, KPMG would consider the development of the Council arrangements to establish the required improvements as required by Ofsted’s recent report, seek to understand the process for identifying drivers and actioning the change required per the action plan and conduct interviews with senior management and those in the directorate to understand the issues and how they would be progressing to resolution.

Resolved:       That KPMG’s update on the 2023/24 audit process be noted.